Manga: Sword Oratoria 7

Sword Oratoria Vol 7 
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

The Dungeon calls adventurers deep into its labyrinth in search of personal growth, strength, and experience. But the Dungeon is a tough master-one wrong move, one bad choice, and permanent death awaits. Lefiya, Bete, and Filvis arrive at the twenty-fourth-floor pantry looking for Aiz but instead stumble upon Hermes Familia in distress. A deadly foe has the adventurers up against the ropes and struggling to stay alive. They've uncovered the mystery of the carnivorous flower monsters but are losing hope they'll make it back to the surface to warn Orario. Can they escape the Dungeon, or will it finally have the last word? 

Lefiya, Bete and Filvis show up just in time to help out Hermes Familia and kick some ass, thus giving us action right from the first chapter of this new volume. Alongside the action comes plenty of tension to keep you on your toes and we get a flashback to the past for one character as well! 

I did enjoy the focus on Bete for a little while in this volume, until Aiz showed up, he's lowkey my favourite I have to be honest. I have to say, not only does he get his time to shine this volume with his fight scenes, but he also gives Lefiya a much needed talking to...or I guess it's more like a harsh pep talk of sorts actually. She also gets her moment to shine showing some new determination for her character and some development, or at least the beginnings of it. We also get shown just how powerful Aiz is now too, which should make for some interesting fight scenes in the upcoming volumes. 

Volume 7 is full of action from start to finish, there's some emotional moments as they all take part in an epic battle, some secrets are revealed and some characters get the boost they need to better themselves. Of course...it's not over yet. 

Manga: Sword Oratoria 6

Sword Oratoria Vol 6
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Aiz and Hermes Familia have joined forces to eliminate the monster outbreak in the pantry, but an unexpected dead end forces their expedition into uncharted territory. Unusual changes are disrupting the delicate balance of the Dungeon, and Aiz finds herself alone against her nemesis, the red-haired Tamer. Will her recent rank-up give Aiz the edge she needs to fight this battle on her own? And without Aiz's support, what will become of Hermes Familia when disaster strikes...? 

We quickly solve the mystery of what the deal is with the monsters in this volume....it turns out it's pantry issues, and we head out on a tense journey to investigate that in uncharted territory. What could possibly go wrong? 

It's not long before we descend in to battle with Aiz's party aka Hermes Familia, taking on a monster before they manage to make it to the pantry, and Aiz finds herself singled out by Levis. Meanwhile her allies in Bete and Lefiya, along with Filvis, are on their way to help her but find themselves facing some battles of their own, although Lefiya also has some internal struggles to overcome. 

There's a nice amount of battling this volume, as well as some drops of intrigue thanks to all this Aria talk. We quickly manage to resolve the mystery of the flower monsters, which I had expected to be dragged out a bit longer although there's still a few questions to be answered. Unfortunately we fall in to despair by the end of the volume, but things may turn around...who knows because we're left on a cliffhanger! 

Light Novel: Sword Oratoria 6

Sword Oratoria Vol 6
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Many will brave the Dungeon, if it lets them escape their past...Now that their big expedition is over, Loki Familia is headed to Port Meren in search of the rumored second entrance to the Dungeon. After arriving, everyone finally gets a chance to relax on the gorgeous beaches of the lakeside city, even if it's all thanks to their goddess's obviously ulterior motives. But before they settle in, a storm arrives! Kali Familia and their patron deity of carnage have made landfall, ready to stir up trouble. What's worse, there seems to be bad blood between them and the Amazon twins, Tione and Tiona! As sinister shadows darken Meren, the two sisters are forced to face their turbulent history! 

Volume 6 hits us with a creepily ominous opening, before we head to Loki Familia and everyone's levelling up post-expedition. Then the plot moves swiftly forward as the girls head to Port Meren for a little vacation, Tione, Tiona, Aiz, Lefiya, Riveria and the addition of Leene and Aki who we get to know more. It also turns out our Aiz has a weakness...she can't swim. Which may pose a slight problem in this new setting. 

I've been excited for this volume ever since I read the synopsis a while ago, because we get to see the world of the series expand and be built up more as we explore a new location with Loki Familia, who are searching for the second entrance to the dungeon to do some investigating after a new monster was sighted there. 

While initially we see the girls get to let loose and have some fun...and try to teach Aiz how to swim, it's not too long before the action really starts and it's Tione and Tiona's time to shine this volume as they utilise their dive skill to search underwater. But not only that...a lot of the focus this volume is on the two of them as some faces from their past pop up. Kali, a goddess, plus two more Amazon's, Bache and Argana, and Tione is definitely not happy to see them again. Tiona isn't quite as vehement/angry as her sister initially but then the two of them do contrast in behaviour. 

With the focus on our two Amazons this volume we finally get to delve in to their past, as we find out more of their background and history and where they're from. It's kind of made me look at them in a different way....more seriously perhaps? Tione has always been the girl hilariously after Finn but I definitely take her more seriously now. This volume also has a lot of focus on the bond between the two twins, Tiona is so much more than she first appears. She's always carefree and laughing but what she did to protect Tione is heart breaking. Meanwhile Tione is the one usually looking out for Tiona. I actually really enjoyed getting to delve in to their relationship and past, and see this other side to them and it was really brilliantly done. 

Alongside all of that, we get to meet a couple of new Gods, Njordor who's an old friend of Loki's and Ishtar. Plus we get to explore more of the history of Orario. We have a nice mystery woven in with what's going on with the Twins too. Loki and co are investigating the Viola's, but it seems Njordor and perhaps the Governor of the port are up to no good and hiding what's going on. Plus, it would appear Kali and her Amazon's are obviously there for a reason...other than making things difficult for the twins. It's not long before we figure out they're involved in Ishtar's scheme against Freya. 

This volume we build up the mystery, and build up the tension as pieces of the plot fall in to place, before edge of the seat, brutal fight scenes with Tione and Tiona literally fighting for their lives. Meanwhile Loki is getting all Sherlock on the scheme taking place in the port. I have to say, the scene at the end when all the other members, Bete, Finn etc, assembled and joined the chaos was brilliant and resulted in much cheering! I really just live for Bete and his snide attitude. 

The final part of the book is action packed and heart warming with it being reinforced that Loki Familia is a family, and they don't leave anyone behind. They've got everyones backs. It's a different feel to the main series because we have Bell and Hestia climbing up but their Familia isn't big, and doesn't have as many members etc. 

The final part of Volume 6 promises us a lot more action and tension as there's a scheme still to be played out and there's a new beast about to drop! 

Manga: Sword Oratoria 4

Sword Oratoria Vol 4
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Deep in the dungeon, the rogue town of Rivira is under attack by a new breed of monsters and it's up to the adventurers to defend it! Luckily, some of Loki Familia's best have the situation well in hand. But when Aiz faces-off with Hashana's murderer, she has a personal score to settle as well - why does this murderer know "Aria"!?After an unsettling defeat, Aiz's desire to level-up and become "strong" burns inside her more than ever, pushing her challenges in the Dungeon to the extreme. So her request that Finn and the others leave her behind in the lower levels must be for her singular goal...right? 

Volume 4 is off to a cracking start as there's an all out battle right from the beginning, and the pace is quick throughout as everyone is fighting and pulling off some insanely badass moves. I love how well drawn the battle scenes are, not to mention the magic circles and how this far in to the series...world building is still being woven in.  

Finn and Riveria really kick some ass this volume! And you know...Aiz and the others too, but it was nice to see two of the older members getting their moment to shine. There's a rather ominous cut scene thrown in, if you can call it that and the Bad Guy seems to know about Aria? There's plenty of worrying developments, and little breadcrumbs dropped, to be honest. 

Unfortunately Aiz didn't get to question the Tamer/murderer about Aria, and she thinks if she'd been stronger she could have, so she's having a little bit of a crisis. Which provides us the perfect opportunity to get a glimpse of some of her memories...and you know...that gives us some more clues and adds to the mystery. 

Aiz and Riveria team up and remain behind in the Dungeon for an epically drawn and super tense, edge of the seat battle that see's Aiz push herself to her limits. It's nice to see that she does actually have limits. Not in a mean way, but everyone bigs her up so much, it's nice that she's not completely over powered etc. 

This volume leaves us with plenty of questions about Aiz and her past, but it does end with a cameo from Bell and a splash of humour to lighten up the tense volume! 

Manga: Sword Oratoria 3

Sword Oratoria Vol 3
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Aiz and her friends make their way to Rivira, the town nestled deep within the Dungeon, only to stumble upon a macabre murder! After determining the culprit must be extremely powerful, everyone seems to think a member of the Loki Familia is the most likely suspect?! Meanwhile, on the surface, Loki embarks on an investigation of her own, delving deep into the sewers to get to the bottom of a mystery that may affect her children's future--as well as that of all Orario...

CSI: Sword Oratoria...I mean, Sword Oratoria Vol 3, see's Aiz and co (minus Bete) head in to the dungeon for some chilled roaming about....before getting involved in a murder mystery on floor 18! Meanwhile Bete is with Loki who's out for revenge after the events of the previous volume. 

Guys, I'm becoming more and more convinced that Bete is a softy, much like Loki secretly is! Bete gets quite a nice amount of page time this volume, as well as his own time to shine, which I was quite pleased about because I'm curious about him!  

Volume 3 brings us plenty of action and mystery as both teams have a mystery of their own to solve. Loki is starting to try to put pieces together, as is Finn down on level 18. The volume ends with a shock surprise twist and leaves us with plenty of questions that are hopefully going to be solved in the next volume?! It's certainly a compelling volume...

Light Novel: Sword Oratoria 5

Sword Oratoria Vol 5
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

The Dungeon's no place for a happy reunion!

After the massive battle that took place on the fifty-ninth floor, Loki Familia embarks on a triumphant return to the surface only to be interrupted by the appearance of an Irregular that forces them to make camp on the eighteenth floor. 

There, Aiz unexpectedly stumbles upon the unconscious form of a familiar white-haired boy, who a certain young elf couldn't be less excited to see. The other members of her familia are curious about him, hoping to find out more about the fastest-growing adventurer in history, but Lefiya has other ideas...

The prologue for this volume swiftly catches us up or rather...refreshes our memories of the previous volume and everything soon comes flooding back until we're right back with the characters. Aiz and Co attempt to return to the surface but have to hole up on the 18th floor, and swiftly end up meeting up with Bell, Welf and Lilly who narrowly escaped a monster of their own. Meanwhile the Gods and Goddesses meet up to share info and Loki starts to probe about the new monster species. Loki, Dionysus and Hermes are certainly an unlikely trio to be working together, and I find them entertaining! Freya....well, she's more and more suspicious by the volume, and Loki appears to be on to her, thank the lord someone is! 

I have to be honest with you guys, Lefiya is starting to irritate me now. Although she and Bell end up lost and alone together and kind of come to an understanding. They have to work together when they spot some Evils in the forests of floor 18 and get trapped by a new monster, and I did like seeing them working together and come to somewhat of an understanding. But Lefiya has seriously been starting to bug me ever since last volume, and this volume she kind of pushed me over the edge, and I'm not entirely sure I'll like her much anymore because I just find her so irritating now! 

Our characters are having quite the party on the 18th Floor, as Hestia and Hermes finally pop up and unite with both groups. There's much speculating this volume about Aiz and if she has the blood of a spirit like Welfs family. Turns out she is according to Riveria but that just deepens the mystery around her and leaves us with plenty of questions about her....for example, who are her parents? I need more information badly! 

We get to dig deeper in to the characters as well as the mystery and the plot as more details are layered in to the plot. Some of the characters we don't see a lot of and don't get much glory, get their chance to shine and we went in depth in to some of the relationships between the characters. 

To be honest with you all, not much happens in this volume, there's only really one battle scene. There's some humour, there's some depth added to the characters and relationships, there's some little threads and tidbits dropped in to keep you intrigued and then at the end a certain piece of interesting information is dropped...but overall it wasn't the most action packed and speedy of volumes, although I do assume all the information dropped is relevant to upcoming developments!

Manga: Sword Oratoria Vol 2

Sword Oratoria Vol 2
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

The peerless Sword Princess can't seem to forget the sight of a young boy running away from her. Watching his receding back brings up memories from her own past and she begins to question her sole ideal of devoting everything to become stronger. For the first time ever, is Aiz is a bit troubled by her heart like any normal young girl?? 

Is it wrong of me to say that I'm enjoying Sword Oratoria more than I am the main series? The main series has had a few volumes where nothing much has happened to be honest, but so far Sword Oratoria has been action packed for each volume and I'm loving it! 

As we rejoin Aiz and co, the quest is over and Loki Familia have to sell all their drop items before they head out to celebrate...unfortunately it turns sour thanks to Bete and THAT incident happens. You know...the one where Bell overhears something and gets upset and runs away. Yep. That happens. It's interesting to see it from another perspective, because when you see it from Bell's POV you kind of think one way about the characters, but seeing it from Aiz's you see them in a new light. 

Aiz is kind of struggling with her feelings and dreams of the past, and the others are determined to cheer her up...which means a girls day shopping! Plus Monsterphilia is approaching and of course...something goes wrong. *cue ominous music* 

The art for this series is completely gorgeous, and I really loved how Lefiya's magic and magic circles where drawn in this volume, as well as the backgrounds. I know it's an odd thing for me to focus on, but so often the backgrounds are just kind of...there, it's nice to see backgrounds that have had effort put in to them, and are nicely detailed! 

There's plenty of action to go with the humour this volume, and the Gods...or at least two of them, are definitely up to no good and there's a sense of something shady at the end...but what? I have so many questions and there's so many little plot threads throughout, it's another excellent volume!

Manga: Sword Oratoria

Sword Oratoria Vol 1
Rating: 4/5
Buy or Borrow: Buy
Source: Copy courtesy of the publisher! 

Aiz Wallenstein, the Sword Princess, is known as one of the most powerful warriors from one of the most powerful groups in the city of Orario: Loki Familia. With them, she ventures into the deepest parts of the labyrinthine Dungeon beneath the city, stalking the monstrous denizens that lurk there and vanquishing them with the blazing light of her sword. But when she meets a certain white-haired boy, the encounter will change both of them forever...

So, the light novel version of this is completely brilliant, and I've been super excited to check out the manga and see how well it compares! There's some stunning colour pages as well as a full colour contents page and I really appreciate the art I'm not going to lie! It's incredibly detailed and rich and the battles are gorgeously drawn, as well as the magic circles and attacks and so on. The characters are drawn both gorgeous..but also cute. I really do love how the facial expressions have been drawn. Bells in particular are drawn hilariously! 

Something the manga does well, is Aiz's inner decisions over what to say to Bell and so on, they're presented incredibly interestingly and I really loved how they where presented. This volume is action packed, with fighting and battles from the start as well as the beginnings of a mystery and we have Aiz's first meeting with Bell! Quite a lot happens in this volume, without it being rushed and its a fairly chunky volume! There's a nice pace throughout the volume too. It keeps you reading and keeps you wanting more. There's a nice amount of detail too, we do go over things we already know about the world etc from the other series, but it's actually a good refresher! 

I have to say, I think this is one of the best light novel to manga adaptions, it's managed to keep the mystery and intrigue, and all of the characters are presented perfectly!